A relatively new agent called me to ask a few questions about one of my listings. The house was on a couple of acres, just outside of town. The conversation went something like this:
Agent: "It has a septic system?"
Me: "Yes. They replaced the old system with a new aerobic system about three years ago."
Agent: "Are the sellers going to take it with them when they leave?"
I nearly choked........
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I assume that the never lived in the country. In all fairness, a lot of people that buy property in rural areas have never lived in the country. And......maybe the agent was thinking along the line of a porta-potty. People do move those around.
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Me: "No. I guess that there could always potentially be an exception, BUT most sellers plan on leaving their septic system since the buyers will need it. It conveys as part of the property just like an air conditioning system. Most houses in the country do not have access to a public sewage system like you do in town. So, the owner of the house must have an on-site sewage facility (OSSF). These are commonly called septic systems."
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Maybe I've got a sick sense of humor, but I still think the idea of the seller's taking their septic system when they move is funny. The idea is so gross. However, at the same time, I am aware that there is a lot of confusion about septic systems, even among those that own them. Not all people understand:
The list could go on and on. I will be addressing each of these issues in future posts. But for now, I will say that if you are a buyer or have a buyer interested in a property with a septic system; be sure to have a qualified, licensed, inspector check out the system so that you know what you are getting into.
Make sure that the buyer gets someone to explain 1)Exactly where the system is located at. Reading abut it on a sheet of paper doesn't always tell you specificially where it is at......See that brick? See that little dip in the ground? Oh, it is somewhere between those two trees..... 2) That you never want to drive on top of the system, the leach fields, or the sprinkler heads. 3) That there are rules and regulations that must be followed. 4) How to take care of the system. For example, are chlorine tablets required? How often should it be pumped?
In Texas, the Texas Commission of Environmental Quality oversees OSSF's. They further delegate their authority. In Brazos County, the governing authority is the Brazos County Health Department. Permits are required for new construction, system replacement, system repair and modification, AND transfer of ownership.
Again, I feel this issue is important enough, I will address it in more detail in later posts along with relevant links. If you have any questions, please let me know.
I don't take lots of pictures of septic systems or OSSF's, so this is the only pictures I have for now. Hopefully they will give you an idea of what an aerobic system looks like from above the ground. 
These are the covers over the tanks.
This is the control box for the aerobic system. Sprinker heads (not pictured) release the water. Have you ever been driving out in the country and saw someone watering their lawn or pasture when it was raining? That was most likely their aerobic septic system releasing the water.
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If you took the covers off, you could get a much better picture :)